Akbank Sanat Literature Talks - Do Humans Change?
“From Myths to the Birth of the Novel: The Beginnings of Storytelling”
Prepared and presented by: Didem Bayındır & Başak Gürbüz
Time: 18.00 - 19.30
We will open the first session of our series with humanity's first great narratives: the Odyssey and the Epic of Gilgamesh. Beyond being the oldest texts in literary history, these works are the first great texts written (or told) about death, immortality, journey, identity, and civilisation. We will examine the role epics played in the transition from oral to written culture, the historical transformation of the concept of heroism, and how myths shaped all subsequent Western literature - all around the question, "How did humanity first begin to narrate the world?”
Further reading: The Iliad, Theogony, The Aeneid
* The talk will be held in Turkish. To attend this talk, you can create your registration by using the "Register" button on the page and receive your free event invitation. Registrations will open 5 days before the event date (30 October 2026, 18:30) and the "Register" button will become visible. Participation is free and limited to 30 attendees.